Instincts
by Scandinavian Sensation
Summary: College student and resident partier Natsu Dragneel has never had to worry about family after he was abandon at a young age. However, after circumstances force young Wendy Marvell into Natsu's life, he must learn what it means to be a father, as well as learn what it means to have family once again, all whilst a sinister plot involving Wendy unfolds right under his nose...
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Fairy Tail.**

 _Hey all. So I needed a break from trying (and failing) to write A Lifetime of Apologies. I just cannot get that chapter down for the life of me, and I'm stuck in a rut. So, I am switching gears up a little bit and gonna give some love to Fairy Tail. Despite the manga heading in... a less than favorable direction, in my opinion, I'm still a fan who can admit the entirety of it had potential, and that it's a pretty amazing universe that he created. But, alas, I don't particularly agree with some of the outcomes... either way!_

 _This is an AU that probably won't be terribly long, but it'll be focusing on a few themes that I won't mention until the end._

 _This pretty much deals with a college Natsu finding out he's the responsible guardian for his young relative Wendy, where he discovers what it means to have a family again, as well as what it means to be a father._

 _There is mention of abuse, as well as darker themes, plus some sexual references. It'll be a T rating, so no lemons, but definitely some references. Also, expect coarse language. Romance, too. And, of course, the characters will be O.O.C._

 _The romance is up in the air at the moment, a choice between a few characters that I'll make a poll for. Here's the biggest thing: I don't really support NaLu. I know, you can leave and hate me now. I'm sorry, I just... I'm not the biggest fan of Lucy overall. She's a decent character, but there's seriously an abundance of NaLu stuff on here. There'll be a mention of it, but nothing that suggests it'll be the actual pairing._

 _So go onto my profile and feel free to vote! Review, as well! Fuck your flames, but I do think constructive tips are only beneficial, so I don't mind that at all._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

Natsu Dragneel was _not,_ by any means, a thinking man. He wasn't _dumb_ , per-say, but he had his moments when ideas were only as deep as _'I need another drink!'_ to _'I shouldn't pee on that wall...'_. It wasn't particularly his fault- alcohol could take even the brightest of brains and dim them down to the level of a Neanderthal just discovering fire. So, to his credit, he had actually done pretty well.

Go back a few hours to where he had stopped thinking...

It hadn't helped that he couldn't even hear himself think over the mind-numbing electric bass, curtesy of Elfman Strauss's personal stereo set. Even if Natsu _did_ have a thought, it would've been drown out by the ramble of the music, keeping his mind focused solely on the shot glass in front of him, snuggly secured within a pair of large, tan, fleshy mounds.

"Natsu! Natsu! Natsu!" The pinkette could hardly tell who had started the chant, but at that moment, he could have care less as he eagerly eyed the dripping cup of Fireball whiskey that was practically calling his name. While to an outsider, it looked like he was concentrating with great intent, he was actually trying to straighten his vision out so as to not miss and (accidentally) smother his face in something else... or some _one_ else.

"C'mon dragon-boy, let's see what you got," had come the slurred, teasing voice of the busty brunette who had been 'holding' his drink.

Eyes narrowed at the challenge, Natsu had merely grinned with half-lidded eyes and laughed, before plunging downward and securing his mouth on the rim of the cup. As he went to try and drink it, the holder decided it was time to wiggle around, causing his mouth to slide over and bury his face into one of the fleshy holders, eliciting a quiet groan from the woman, masked by the 'ooh'ing from the crowd as a round of laughter erupted.

"Nice aim hot-head!" The taunt, whilst loaded with plenty of smugness, had been supplied by a dark, spiky-haired young man wearing only a pair of dark gray boxers, which also caused the pink-haired man to shoot up and shoot him a rather unpleasant message via his middle finger. However, he wasn't able to follow through with his intentions, as he was grabbed by his signature scale-like white scarf, and pulled back downward to engage in a fiery lip-lock with said brunette.

Though the alcohol had numbed his senses for the most part, he could still smell the tequila on her breath, as well as faintly taste the lime she chased it with. All the while, the crowd found more interest in a shot competition, quickly dispersing to give the two some more space.

"Cana?" Natsu mumbled through the kisses, hoping he didn't have the wrong girl. Cana, with unfocused eyes and a drunken smile, looked at him once, before pulling him back into the exchange, to which he all-too-happily re-engaged in.

Add in some lack of judgement thanks to the alcohol and fast-forward to present day, which is where we find our 'hero'...

* * *

"Ooooh..." Cana moaned groggily as a ray of sunlight peeked through Natsu's blinds, managing to score a direct hit on Cana's overly sensitive eyes. She quickly (or what would have been quickly if she wasn't completely hungover) burrowed herself in the closest thing to her, which conveniently happened to be the tan pectoral of one pink-haired man. "Someone turn that off..."

Natsu mumbled incoherently as he felt Cana beginning to stir, interrupting his rather lackluster nap. He groaned uncomfortably as he pried an eye open, only to find the room was far too bright for his liking. He clamped his eyes shut and sighed, hoping he'd just manage to fall right back asleep.

To his disappointment, he was interrupted by the dreary voice of his companion. "Natsu...?"

"That's me..." he replied back, just as eloquently.

"Fuck me, are you serious?"

Despite his state of mind, he couldn't help the self-satisfied smirk that crossed his lips. "I already did."

The girl scoffed and swatted lightly at her 'pillow' but made no efforts to move herself from his body. He radiated heat like a furnace, and she was in no hurry to relieve herself of that calming warmth, even _if_ she was sleeping with one of her best friends. Natsu, on the other hand, merely laid peacefully on his back, his arm wrapped around the shapely form of a girl he'd known since they were young. He knew it was a little weird, but he also knew this wasn't the first time they'd ended up like this, so he did his best to ignore the thoughts that were slowly cropping up.

He just knew he couldn't bring this up around her father, was all.

"So how many times are we gonna do this before we actually learn?" Natsu asked, only to be shushed by the woman at his side.

She put her finger to his lips and pat his trussed hair. "Shh... you never speak of it after waking up."

Natsu rolled his eyes, but obliged by her request... this time. They laid in silence for a few more moments before a loud gurgle was heard, causing Natsu to smirk at a now red-faced Cana.

"Hungry?"

"Shut. Up."

"I guess you did work up an appetite."

"I mean it!"

"I'm just saying."

"Natsu, I will end you," Cana said semi-sweetly. Natsu put his hands up in surrender, before the two parted ways, allowing both to shiver slightly. Though Cana wouldn't admit it vocally, she immediately noticed the absence of warmth, whilst Natsu felt a cool breeze brush over where Cana had formerly been laying. He couldn't tell why, exactly, but he felt a little... disappointed, perhaps?

While Natsu threw on a pair of long pajama pants, as well as socks, Cana got a good look at her longtime friend. At 22, he was hardly the hyperactive, young kid she'd met him as. His once short pink locks were much longer now, and his canine teeth were unusually long, which gave him a feral look when he smiled with his hair. His muscles rippled and bulged as he moved around, signifying years of hard-working and training to allow him his impressive physique. His smile, once innocent and full of mirth, was now slightly devious, but no less charming, capable of swaying most girls with his teasing, onyx eyes. While she didn't harbor any type of crush on him, she also couldn't help but admire his growth since they'd met. Her attraction was purely physical when it came to him, and the both of them knew it; they just didn't know what do about it.

She knew nothing would be different when they went downstairs and had breakfast, and nothing would change when they studied later on. If they passed by each other on the way to class, they wouldn't blush madly or stammer in place, incapable of forming a few words together. Nothing would change- and she liked it that way. She'd had her time with a few guys and once they became intimate, everything changed. Their personalities, their motives, all types of things that she couldn't stand changing.

Maybe that's why, she admitted to herself, she kept coming back to Natsu.

"You done starin'?" Natsu teased as he eyed her from the corner of his eye.

Cana smirked and shrugged. "Depends; I see you taking a peek, too."

Now it was Natus's turn to go on the defensive, realizing he was, in fact, gazing at her bountiful bosom. She, too, had changed. She had grown in height and curves, her chest now a generous round that could catch the eye of many passerby's. Her stomach was toned, a testament to her habitual outdoor activities, despite her drinking habits. Her legs were toughened by marathons and she proudly wore leggings to prove those feats. Her confident visage was only outdone by her ability to out-think even the most tactical of people, something that earned her a reputation as a gambling freak of nature. She had a way with cards and betting, and she'd claimed her fair share of drunken victims during parties.

"Hard not to..." Natus mumbled softly, but still loud enough for Cana to hear. She smiled, but proceeded to slip on a pair of panties, as well as bra, before stealing one of Natsu's shirts. It was just big enough to cover her butt, which she knew wouldn't matter, as there wouldn't be anyone away even if they'd blacked out on the floor.

Her record as a seasoned drinker came in at times like this as she recognized the signs of a hangover, as weak as they were. Her head was a little fuzzy, and her mouth was a bit dry, but overall, she wasn't too bad off, despite the amount she'd taken in. Natsu, on the other hand, was a little worse off. Despite his calm demeanor, he was far from hungry, though he wasn't sick either. Food, just the thought of it, caused his body to ache, and he felt a little green at the mention of it.

"C'mon, let's go grab something," Cana suggested as she walked over to the door. She unlocked it, knowing it was a mark of Natsu to _always_ lock the door, and walked into the hallway. Natsu followed behind, mentally preparing himself for the damages he'd be cleaning for the day. The wooden floor was cool beneath his feet; the repercussions of March.

As soon as he entered the hallway, Natsu could _smell_ the booze, causing his stomach to turn aggressively. Though he vowed to not throw up, he couldn't help the queasiness that overtook him as he entered the living room. The table in front of the television was littered with empty cans of beer, as well as a few bottles of liquor. There was a chair randomly thrown in the living room that was on its side, though Natsu didn't mind. The couch was upright (this time) but the leather contained a darker patch, suggesting someone spilt some beer or liquor on it. The carpet below it also had a faint stain, suggesting someone was sitting and accidentally spilled, and simply bailed on the area. The TV was off, likely thanks to sleep-mode, as the speakers were faintly emitting static as they were on, but disconnected.

Natsu made a mental note to text Elfman to come pick them up if he wanted them back anytime soon. He was half-surprised that the large football player left without them, but figured it likely had something to do with one lovely Evergreen...

"Hmm, not too bad," Cana said from the kitchen. As Natsu peered over the bar, he was pleasantly surprised to only see cans and bottles, no broken glass or open food containers that were thrown everywhere. "I gotta say, seems like you have a simple day of cleaning."

Natsu smirked. "Don't you mean, 'we'?"

Cana rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Yeah, if you make me breakfast, it can be 'we'."

Somehow, Natsu had developed almost an unequivocal ability to cook, even with no one teaching him how. Cana suspected it had something to do with the fact that he had to rely on himself for most of his life, so cooking became one of his key findings. He also usually kept his domain fairly clean, another testament to his self-reliance. Cana shrugged the thoughts from her head as she walked over to the kitchen table. There were only a few bottles on the surface, so throwing them into the trash was a quick task that took little time, whilst the entire time, she could already hear her pink-haired friend cooking up some scrambled eggs.

As far as breakfast went, scrambled eggs with cheese ranked around her top choices, simply because it reminded her of better times where her mother and father were both around. After her 7th birthday, her mother passed away, leaving just her work-ridden father. Thanks to her hospital bills, he was forced to take on more jobs to keep the two afloat, which translated in him being away for longer periods of time, and as such, they became more distant. Though Cana still loved him and she knew he was just doing his best, she also held a little disdain that he wasn't around during times she needed him.

"What kinda juice you want?" Natsu's voice snapped her from her thoughts, bringing the brunette back to reality.

She thought for a second before answering. "Orange works."

"Make it a mimosa?" Natsu joked.

Though it was _highly_ tempting, Cana decided to pass on it, opting to keep her meal clean this time. She hadn't yet gone to the gym, and having drank plenty last night along with whatever food she'd snacked on, she decided it was smarter to pass. Deciding to help out the pinkette, Cana quietly stalked behind Natsu before wrapping her arms around his bare chest and leaned her head against his shoulder. She felt his body tense, but once he saw Cana's face, his face broke out into a small smirk.

"Can I help?" Cana asked with a hint of seduction in her voice.

"You can pour the juice," Natsu suggested.

The young woman smiled and nodded, before slowly releasing Natsu from her hold and walking over to the fridge with a sway of her hips. Natsu was not immune to this, nor was he unaware, as he watch the shirt ride up ever-so-slightly and give him a peek at her well toned backside. He exhaled quietly through his nose and turned back to the eggs, doing his best to ignore the teasing nature of his longtime friend. Over by the fridge, Cana smirked.

She'd won this round.

"Can you find my phone? I gotta text Elfman about his speakers." Cana nodded in response as she grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and began pouring juice into them. Once they were full, she put the juice away and set the drinks on the table, before going into the living room to search for Natsu's phone. Through her fuzzy memory, she recalled seeing it stuck between the couch cushions during a rather lively match of wrestling between the pinkette and several friends of his.

A ghost of a smile touched upon Cana's lips. Even as an adult, Natsu still had his fiery competitive spirit.

A dull buzz caught Cana's attention as she dug through the sofa cushions, causing her to slip over and slide her hand between the couch segments. She felt her fingertips brush against the smooth surface of the phone, and she delicately lifted it up so as to avoid accidentally dropping it back into the couch. To her utter surprise, the phone was still alive _somehow_ , and she was tempted to glare in Natsu's direction at someone owning the one phone that didn't die overnight.

Seriously; she was beyond jealous.

Her jealous ebbed away as she curiously pressed the power button, seeing that Natsu had several missed calls.

"Hey Natsu?" She called. She received a loud 'hum' in response. "You have a few missed calls."

"Mind checking from who? I'm a little busy," he shouted back.

Expertly unlocking his phone (mostly because his password was a straight line), Cana opened his voicemail and put the phone to her ear.

 _"Mr. Dragneel, I'm calling to inform you about a sensitive matter we must discuss. My name is Kazuya Roubaul of the Cait Shelter; I have recently come across documentation that you are related to one Ms. Wendy Marvell. If possible, we must discuss your relation, as well as possible familial involvement."_

Cana frowned; she'd never heard of Natsu having any family outside of his deceased foster father. He'd certainly never brought it up, and he and her had shared several intimate familial details. The voicemail continued, causing her to pause her thoughts and listen more.

 _"Recent circumstances have made it so that we cannot foster young Wendy anymore, and you are the next one of hereditary descent that is capable of taking her in. Please contact me via the number I reached out to with as soon as possible, it is of the utmost importance. Thank you."_

Cana slowly put the phone down with wide eyes. Natsu fostering a child? The mere thought was... almost incomprehensible. It wasn't that he was irresponsible- if anything, Natsu had proven he was plenty responsible by not only handling a small house, but also being capable of handling all payments, as well as taking care of himself from such a young age. His independence was only overshadowed by his innate ability to adapt to his situation. Still; Natsu didn't strike her as... a care-taking sort of person.

He couldn't stop partying long enough to take care of anyone.

Natsu's voice came from the kitchen doorway as he held his cup of juice. "Didja find out who it was?"

She merely looked at him with her still wide-eyes, causing him to frown.

"What?"

Cana exhaled and offered him a weak smile. "You've got quite the day ahead of you..."

Little did she know, that would end up being the understatement of the year.

* * *

 _So that finishes the prologue/chapter 1._

 _Things to note:_

 _1) Cana and Natsu are best friends; yes. It's odd, but honestly, they've known each other in the guild for a long time, so I figured in this universe, it'd be interesting to give them relation. Plus, I could see them as siblings, so for this purpose, I don't plan on giving Cana the ability to change to love interest. If enough people want it, I'd consider it I suppose._

 _2) Natsu's personality in the anime is fight-first, think-never, and eat-everything. For this, translating it to this universe is difficult, because fighting isn't really a focal point. I'm going to try and incorporate fighting into his life as a sport or something, but overall, I don't think I'm gonna be able to match his personality, hence why he's different and OOC._

 _3) I still need to work on personal dialogue, so I'm definitely not claiming this to be a great chapter, but it's really just a test to see how I can improve my writing. So bear with me, and seriously, don't flame, cause it really doesn't help._

 _That's all; if you have questions, post em up, and don't forget about the poll. Enjoy!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

 _So Chapter 1 went off without a hitch. Seems reception was positive enough... that's good! So this chapter is going to open up the world a little more, introduce some other characters from Natsu's childhood and overall, flesh out his history a bit more. Plus, I do like giving other characters from background, such as referring to Cana and Gildarts, along with Cana's late mother. Not much else to say._

 _Remember the poll is up! Right now, Mira has a lead, but Ultear is quite close behind! Every character has a mapped out arc for how they will influence the story should they be picked, so don't think each one is the same story line._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

Natsu, impatiently, sat in class, fingers drumming incessantly on the arm rest of his chair, with his focus diverted elsewhere. Even though he had a keen interest in Biology, he was already overly familiar with the specifics of ATP-synthesis, along with the three different metabolic pathways, so he found himself slipping away mentally. It wasn't as if he had to worry about being noticed, either- the lecture was over 100 people, and the professor didn't even know his name, nor did they care.

Instead, his mind was focused on the call he'd received from the _Cait Shelter_ foster care center. It had been two days since the call, and he'd refrained from calling them back purely because he had no idea what to do or say. Cana had asked him why he hadn't mentioned Wendy before, only for him to state the obvious: he didn't know he had other family. His foster father Igneel had never brought up any remnants of family members, nor had he left any mention of them in his will after he passed away. In fact, as far as Natsu was aware, Igneel himself was an only child with no relatives.

Apparently though, that wasn't the case. He had done some digging and found a few interesting tidbits. For one, Wendy, too, was an only child. It seemed she was raised by a very powerful political figure located somewhere else, known locally as Lady Grandeeney. Her father was unmentioned, causing Natsu to assume that he either wasn't around, or had perished when Wendy was a baby. It was more than likely that Lady Grandeeney made it so that his death wasn't publicized, as it was common for high-ranking political figures to mask deaths via media-blackouts.

Even with all that knowledge, Natsu still didn't know what to do about the current predicament. It wasn't as if he was indifferent toward Wendy; he was once in the same boat as her, after all. The difference was that Igneel was a competent man with plenty of knowledge when it came to parenting. He, on the other hand, was not only not prepared, but he also wasn't knowledgeable. Taking care of himself was one matter... adding in a young child was a completely different track altogether.

A dull buzz, accompanied by a vibration against his thigh snapped Natsu from his reverie as he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A single message popped up from _'Mira'_ , causing Natsu to groan. She was more than likely going to chew him out if she'd found out he still hadn't called the care center.

Sure enough, he opened the message and read it once over. _'Have you decided to call the lawyer back?'_

Natsu frowned and quickly typed in his response. _'No. Don't know what to do.'_

It wasn't that he regret telling her... yet. Going to her for advice was one the best things he'd done thus far, but that didn't mean she made it easy to take her good hints.

Without another thought, Natsu grabbed his backpack and threw it over his shoulder, before making his way down the aisle and leaving the class early. There was no point on him being there if he wasn't even going to pay attention, plus, he knew Mira would inevitably be wanting to meet up with him so that she could speak with him.

Another buzz. _'Are you serious? It's been two days! Are you in class?'_

He smirked; he'd read her like a book. His smirk vanished just as quickly though, as he thought about the implications. He didn't _want_ to avoid the little girl, but he wasn't really sure if he was up to the responsibility. He just wanted to party, have a good time in college before getting into the nitty-gritty parts of his life- this was exactly why he didn't have a girlfriend yet! It would just weigh him down and limit his opportunities... or so he told himself.

 _'Nah. Just ditched.'_

One of these days, he'd actually try harder in school, he thought. It was just far too easy right now; Igneel was more than strict when it came to schoolwork and knowledge. He'd taught him more in the time he'd been around than in the years of public schooling he'd been forced to endure. Magnolia University may have been a large-scale university, but at the end of the day, Igneel himself had attended the school too, meaning he was capable of passing on knowledge.

The weather outside, while still cool, was still nice enough for Natsu to smile a little. People walked about, ignorant to his internal dilemma, passing by without a care in the world. Pulling out his phone, Natsu checked the time: 12:43. He grinned; just in time for lunch.

Heading toward the center of campus, Natsu quickly shot Mira a text telling her to meet him at the dining district for lunch. He figured she'd be less inclined to get mad if she was in the public's eye. He'd been on plenty of dates that ended badly, but were salvaged merely because he was in the gaze of tons of people, and many people liked avoiding public gossip if possible.

Putting a hand to his chin, Natsu wondered about what food would satisfy his cravings today... he hadn't yet gone to the gym, so there wasn't a huge necessity to pack on protein... although, he couldn't resist grilled, spicy chicken over steamed rice.

Checking his phone, he saw Mira had texted him twice, likely once before the message was sent, and once after she'd read it. _'You should really care about your classes more... it gives us time to talk, though.'_ Then, _'Okay; don't be late ;)'_

Natsu rolled his eyes; he was late _one_ time to one of her lunch 'dates' , and suddenly, he was ALWAYS late in her eyes. Still, he couldn't help the small grin that slipped on his lips. Out of all of the people he knew at MU, Mira was among one of his favorites, simply because of her caring nature and willingness to help in anyway possible. It was no surprise to him when she'd told him she was proceeding on the Nursing major. Call it a stereotype, but she was perfectly suited to the nursing life.

He arrived in the dining district in no time, thanks partially to his close proximity from the Biological Sciences building. He, along with a crowd likely escaping from classes, slipped inside the building, some idly chatting away whilst others were glued to their phones. It was much warmer inside the building, allowing Natsu to loosen his scaly-white scarf he was commonly found with. He didn't bother checking his phone again, knowing Mira would almost inevitably find him and lock onto his location as soon as she arrived. She had a tendency to find Natsu, even when she wasn't looking for him- it was almost like magic.

Spying out his usual dining establishment, Natsu was pleased to see it was a fairly short line. He stepped in and waited a few moments, before placing his order and only had to wait a couple more minutes to actually collect his food. In that time, he was scanning the surroundings to see if he could find Mira before she found him.

"Looking for someone?" A sweet and innocent voice came from behind Natsu, causing him to sigh as he turned to face the voice. "You know I'll always find you first."

"One day I'll find you first," Natsu said determinedly, eliciting a large smile from Mira. She had her long, snow-white hair down, with the exception of a ponytail on the top. She wore a black dress with white edges, which displayed a moderate amount of cleavage, but kept more than enough hidden. The black fabric brought out the shine of her ocean-blue eyes, which were deep enough to cause a man to lose himself within them for hours. Her smile, radiant and innocent as always, lit up the room and made the weather feel ten degrees warmer.

She cast Natsu a teasing look, before gesturing to a nearby unoccupied table. "That'll certainly be the day."

The duo took a seat, Natsu having his chicken and Mira having bought Kuzumochi, which Natsu recognized as one of her favorite meals. The pinkette couldn't help but notice the bright radiance that Mira cast off on a daily basis; it was always more than enough to lift his mood and fill him with positive energy. It was something he couldn't help but admire. It was the same reason he came to her for advice.

While he wanted her opinions, he also didn't quite want to start dreading the talk, so he tried his best to stall.

"Bring stuff from home again?"

Mira took a bite, smiling as she savored the texture of the Kuzumochi. While Natsu found it a little odd when he'd found out, he'd come to accept Mira's oddities- such as her reason for enjoying Kuzumochi so much was the texture of the kuzuko that made up the mochi cakes. It had little to do with the actual taste, as he'd come to discover when he tried it himself one day, before promptly blanching at the taste and immediately grilling her on why she ate the stuff.

"Of course," Mira said, pointing at the man with her fork. "I'd say I can cook better than what's offered, wouldn't you?"

Natsu shrugged nonchalantly. He wouldn't admit it aloud in fear of giving her more ammunition to use against him, but her cooking skills not only surpassed his own, but eclipsed almost everyone's cooking he'd ever tried. He had no idea how she did it, but somehow, she could bring even the worst foods to life in a way that could bring the pinkette to tears of joy. The only food that she couldn't get him to eat again was, coincidentally, her Kuzumochi.

"So, let's get onto the real reason we're here, shall we?" Mira asked, her gaze locking onto Natsu's onyx eyes.

"So what do you think I should do?" Natsu asked seriously, wasting no time beating about the bush. He didn't even need to expand, as Mira simply took a bite of her food and swallowed, looking Natsu deep in his eyes, straight into his soul. He resisted the urge to shudder as he could practically feel her probing around his brain.

Without her even having to answer, Natsu knew exactly what she was thinking before she even spoke. "Simple; you call, and you meet this man."

Wendy's name went unspoken, but it went without saying. Natsu wasn't sure why they avoided saying her name, but every time he'd said it aloud, he'd become slightly more anxious than the previous time.

"A-and if I'm to assume responsibility?" He cursed himself for stuttering, but it wasn't the stutter that caused Mira to roll her eyes, rather, Natsu's inability to look at the situation from a secondary point of view.

"Natsu, this isn't _your_ child. Yes, you might have to look out for her, but it's not as if this is your child that you abandon after conception." Natsu frowned, hating the sound of that. Having parents that put him up for adoption before he was technically even born was rough, and ever since he'd found out, he held a special disdain for those that had a child but were unwilling to try and raise it. He disliked those that cowardly fled even more, such as the fathers that left and never came back, or the mothers that would pawn the child off on another.

Mira continued talking, ignoring Natsu's mild glare, knowing it wasn't issued toward her. "This girl needs a temporary home... and maybe a good role model. I'm sure she's an angel. All you have to do is just provide a few basic things for her- it's really not that hard."

Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. "It's not that I'm worried I'll be unable to provide... I just don't know how to act around kids..."

Raising an eyebrow, the snow-haired woman looked at Natsu blankly. Had he not realized that he was practically still a kid at heart? He still loved running amok with little to no regard for his well-being, as well as enjoying the finer parts of life, such as building massive sand-castles on the beach during Spring Break, or starting a snowball fight in the middle of campus during winter. If anyone was capable of putting aside their responsibilities and cutting back once in awhile, it was Natsu. Although, since he'd enrolled at the university, his fun-loving, laid-back style of life was put on hold for the life of a wild party-boy...

Then, Mira wondered, if Natsu was being completely honest. Perhaps there was something he wasn't saying...

"It's not that I can't be nice," Natsu said, seeing the look on Mira's face. He looked away with a frown. "I just don't know if I can give up the freedom. It's a lot to ask... and a lot to change."

"Oh my... Natsu. Quit being so thick-headed!"

Natsu redirected his frown at Mira, however, she puffed her cheeks up and leveled one of her patented 'devil-glares' that she'd once thrown around endlessly as a child. Despite its rust, Natsu quickly averted his gaze and sighed, silently cursing the white-haired woman. She relented, only to huff in annoyance, and take another bite of food.

"Why is this such an issue? It's not as if you're going to be alone on this."

Natsu muttered something under his breath that Mira couldn't hear. "Come again?"

The pinkette sighed. "What if she doesn't like me? It would kind of suck to have a... kid that doesn't really like me."

Mira took careful note of how he refrained from using the word 'daughter', as if saying it made it true. However, she decided to avoid the topic... for the moment, that is. Instead, she directed her attention toward Natsu's fears and inner thoughts.

"Why do you think she won't like you?"

"I wasn't the most... friendly kid," Natsu reminded her. Mira internally rolled her eyes at that; he may not have been the most friendly, but he was one of the most likable kids around Magnolia. His energy, paired with his natural sense of adventure, made him a target for anyone looking to have fun. He was genuine, almost to a fault, which could sometimes bring out the truth when it needed to be hidden, but in the end, Mira had thought Natsu to be a fairly kind child. "Besides; if I recall, I was a handful."

Mira couldn't help but agree at the last part. He'd earned himself the nickname _"the dragon"_ due to his temper and resilience. "So? This girl isn't you- she's already 11 you said, so she's practically defined herself. She doesn't have your genetics."

There was a moment of silence as the pink-haired teen thought. "What about school? And friends?"

"That's what you'll talk about with the guy. And don't worry, she'll make them naturally. Plus, doesn't Mr. Conbolt have a son around that age?"

Mr. Conbolt was one of Magnolia University's professors, although what he specialized in was beyond anyone's comprehension. He was commonly found in the chemistry building, overseeing the laboratory students, or he was found ogling some of the female professors. While he had a strict policy of avoiding lewd comments about female students whilst on campus, he had a slight reputation for drunkenly hitting on anyone whenever he was at the local bar and hotspot- the _Fairy Tail._

Natsu, being a biology major, had done a few summer jobs for Mr. Conbolt, and in turn, was on a fairly good basis with the older man. Still, Natsu hadn't considered him to be a reliable source of information... but now that Mira had mentioned it, he _did_ have a son around 11 or 12, which meant he could be of some help.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to see Mira was winning her side of the argument. The young pink-haired man's resolve was beginning to crumble, and his nervousness was becoming more and more on display, meaning he was considering the idea on a deeper level than before. Out of instinct, the snow-haired woman grabbed Natsu's tanned hand and gentle held it in her much smaller hands. Despite the shock on Natsu's face, he didn't pull his hand back, instead, he just stared at her with a speckle of red dusting his cheeks.

"Trust me; I wouldn't lie to you," Mira said with her wide blue eyes. Natsu scowled and pulled his hand back, causing Mira to frown and puff her cheeks at his attitude. He looked away from her, but the remnants of his blush still coated his face.

He sighed and pulled out his phone, before tapping away at the lock screen and pulling up a familiar voicemail. Mira's eyes widened as she watched Natsu put the phone to his ear and listen intently, despite the half-lidded eyes and bored look on his face. He didn't move or give any indication he was listening to the voicemail until he looked directly at Mira and began reciting a set of numbers. Despite the spontaneity, Mira quickly recited them under her breath in an effort to remember them.

Natsu then hung up the phone, and switched over to a dial-pad, where he looked at Mira with a hidden expectancy. Mira rolled her eyes; of course he wouldn't bother to remember any of the digits, she thought. Regardless of his lack of attempting, she relayed what she remembered, and watched Natsu hit the 'call' button with large, hopeful eyes. He waited a moment as the faint sound of a ringing was heard, before an elderly voice spoke through the speaker.

"Hi, uh, is this... Ray?"

Mira nearly fell on her face in shock. Leave it to Natsu to not even know who he was calling.

The man said something and Natsu nodded absentmindedly, finding interest in the scraps of food remaining on his plate. Mira used a spoon to smack the pinkette's hand fiddling with his fork, causing him to drop the utensil and glare at her as she pointed to the phone firmly.

"Yeah, this is Natsu. I'm... I'm calling about the voicemail you left." A few seconds passed. "A-about Wendy?"

Natsu almost had to pull the phone from his ear as the volume drastically increased, likely a result from the man yelling loudly into the phone from either excitement (Mira hoped it was excitement) or something else. He tenderly put the phone back near his ear and exhaled in relief as the volume seemed to decrease.

He paled as the man said something, before nodding and sighing. "Yeah, I can come meet you. Tomorrow works fine..."

Mira felt her heart begin to race. He was doing it!

"Right. I'll keep that in mind... thanks. I'll see you then."

With a deep breath, Natsu pressed 'End Call' and looked at Mira expectantly. The two stared at each other for a moment, before Mira smiled widely with pride shining in her eyes. Though he'd deny it if she said anything, she could seem the curves of a smile forming on his lips.

"Don't get too excited..." Natsu said, standing up to throw out his trash. "Since you talked me into this, you're coming with me tomorrow."

* * *

 _Annddd cut scene!_

 _Whew. Good little development there. Finding a place for Natsu's personality is difficult, because he can't fight people, and he's also in college, which means he should be relatively stable-minded. So, the partying is meant to show he's focused more on diversions than facing the actual problem... which will come up later._

 _Anyways; be sure to check out the poll, and remember to vote and review! Thanks guys!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Fairy Tail.**

 _I've only got one thing to say: WOW. The voting is heating up pretty noticeably, and there's someone that jumped ahead by a fairly wide margin. No spoilers, but let's just say it's going to take quite the turning point for a change to be made... but there's still time! I don't know when I'm going to close the voting, but expect each character on the poll to make an appearance before I do. I'll give you a chapter or two notice before that poll closes._

 _In the meantime, keep on reviewing and stuff, and yeah, we'll just keep trucking right along!_

* * *

Natsu might have thought it to be a punishment for her, but in all actuality, Mira was highly enjoying herself. The two made a unanimous decision to skip classes (though it was far less Mira's decision), as Natsu proclaimed he was going to _Cait Shelter_ with or without Mira- and though she technically shouldn't have minded, Mira found herself quickly ditching lecture and walking up to Natsu's door so they could drive together. Maybe it was because he'd invited her along, either way, she was _not_ letting him go without her.

In payment for making her miss class, Mira had amped her teasing up to new levels to make up for the missing lecture. And judging by Natsu's twitching eye and blushing face, he was about done with her remarks.

"If you keep this up, I'm gonna make you drive back," Natsu warned through his reddened expression. His hand gripped the clutch, causing his knuckles to nearly turn white from the applied force. Mira rolled her eyes; he was fibbing and she knew it. Not only did she not know how to drive stick (something Natsu had tried to tease her for) but she also knew the only way his motion sickness was avoidable was if he drove.

Mira took the opportunity to rest her tiny hand on his substantially larger hand, feeling out the grooves in his knuckles. Her face morphed into a sly smirk as she eyed him up and down teasingly. "If you wanted a ride, you should've just asked..."

She could practically hear his breath hitch and his eyes grow wide at the implication, as sweat began to bead around his forehead from the heat of his blush. Mira giggled, removed her hand, and looked out her window with an innocent expression as they passed through a small forest that held _Cait Shelter_ at the end of the trail.

It was a rather remote place to have a foster care center, but after researching, Mira also found that it doubled as a school-house. The cheap land, paired with the space it needed made the location a prime spot, even if it was rather far away from Magnolia.

Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts, as she received a text from her brother, Elfman. She unlocked the phone and sighed as she read the message, before turning to Natsu and plainly asking, "do you mind bringing back Elfman's stereo system before he leaves to play in Crocus?"

Natsu frowned. "What? He wants 'em! He can come get 'em!"

"Should he just break in?" Mira asked sweetly. She knew the second she brought up Natsu having to do something for someone else, he was going to protest it. Especially when it was something as trivial as moving speakers. "You know he's still waiting for some revenge concerning the last time someone... broke in."

A growl escaped Natsu's lips as he turned onto a dirt road. "Fine! I'll have them to him soon... but if one window is broken..."

Mira, of course, remembered last time Natsu drunkenly broke into their house. In a fit of rage, he'd thrown a brick at Elfman's window, trying to pay him back for sleeping with his ex-girlfriend, however, he instead got Mira's window. In a panic, he tried to run, but ran into a trash can and was rendered unable to move as he rolled on the ground helplessly. Whilst Mira had been enraged at first, she realized Natsu was trying to cover up the pain in which Elfman had inflicted upon him... so she only smacked him once and made him pay for the new window, before helping him back home. Elfman never found out who broke in, but he was all about _'restoring manly pride!'_ as he put it.

If he even _tried_ to break in, Natsu would see to it that the hulking football player would never be able to catch a ball again.

The snow-haired girl knew that Natsu was overreacting (but probably not lying) however, she still flashed him an innocent smile and turned her attention to the approaching building. She felt her heart flutter when she saw the quaint, simplistic structure. She rarely told anyone, Natsu being the rare exception, but she _loved_ old houses and buildings. Victorian houses, tall and regal, were among her favorites, mostly due to their lesser used architecture. For some reason, they gave her such a nostalgic feeling. Maybe it was the gentle orange rays of the sun falling upon the shingled rooftops whilst red, orange, and yellow leaves gently drifted from the treetops, spinning and swaying at the mercy of a gentle fall breeze... it was like something from a movie or even a picture.

It was something that Mira _wanted._

She'd already made up her mind- her husband was hopefully going to be on the same spectrum as her.

"This place sure is... big," Natsu commented.

Mira smiled; he wasn't the most eloquent with words, but she could hear his attempt to get her talking about her fascinations. Though he might come to regret it, she obliged his attempt, but kept it simple for his sake.

"It did have children living her," she teased and he frowned. Before he could make any comment, she continued. "I'd guess when it was first purchased, it originally was a school-house, and the owner simply converted portions of it to make it a suitable orphanage. You can tell because none of the residual structures are fundamentally different, nor is the overall architecture more or less modern than the rest of the building."

Natsu gaped at her. "You can tell all that just by looking?"

Mira found herself blushing a little, but giggled quietly. "It's not too hard. Any changes would've likely interrupted the foundation, especially since the building's location doesn't exactly support an easy adaption. Plumbing and internal air condition would've been a hassle, and something tells me that since this place is closing down, that they didn't have the money to do all that in the first place."

Natsu continued to stare at Mira, causing her to wave at him with her hand.

"Don't embarrass me, Natsu."

Natsu slowed the car to a halt just in front of the building, but smiled broadly at his partner. "I think it's awesome! It's cool you can tell so much just from looking at something- I wish I could do that!"

A dash of red dusted Mira's pale skin, but otherwise, she remained silent, digesting his words.

 _'You know... even though he doesn't try...'_ Mira blushed slightly again as she got out of the car. _'He does have his moments...'_

"Wow, this reminds me of..." Natsu went quiet, causing Mira to look at with concern. She knew exactly what he was referring to.

 _This place reminded him of his own foster home_.

"Hey," Mira said, lightly touching Natsu's bicep. He barely reacted, but even the tensing of his arm gave her reassurance that he wasn't lost in memory. "It'll be okay. I know it's a little... weird. But I'm here."

"Yeah," Natsu said, licking his dry lips. He exhaled heavily and forced a smile onto his face, showing off his unusual canine teeth. He didn't say anything more, instead, he opted to march on head, up the small wooden stairs to the front door. He turned back to face Mira with confusion on his face. "You comin'?"

Mira blinked and wordlessly followed after him, watching his back with concern lingering in her eyes. ' _Natsu..._ '

The wood creaked under Mira's steps, filling her with a sense of nostalgia once more. While her childhood home hadn't been as large or ornate as this house, it, too, reminded her of her childhood in slight ways. She didn't have the chance to reflect on her thoughts as Natsu banged loudly on the doors, and followed up his banging with a loud, "hey!"

The snow-haired nursing student smacked Natsu on the arm, causing him to look at her with a frown. "You don't need to break the door."

"I didn't- it looks fine!"

Mira sighed, but accepted his response. Arguing with him was honestly like arguing with a child, and she could never truly find flaws in his logic, even if it was as simple as possible.

From the other end of the door, a muttering was heard, before a loud clank caused the door to shudder. Then, they opened, revealing a small man with an equally small cane. He looked somewhat annoyed, but once he saw Natsu, his stern looking face broke into a small smile. He hummed in approval, and gestured wordlessly for the duo to enter, to which Natsu fearlessly (and thoughtlessly) did.

"I presume you're Mr. Dragneel?" The old man asked politely.

Natsu nodded. "Are you... Roy?"

Mira sighed again. "You mean Rob, Natsu."

"Right, Rob!" Natsu said as it it had magically come to him.

The old man, Rob, nodded, but not without looking at Mira with interest. At first, she assumed he was simply like many of the other old men she knew, such as Makarov Dryer, who _loved_ to see young women's bodies, though he was a fatherly figure to many. Pervert, but nothing more. However, his gaze never settled on her chest or hips, instead, his charcoal black eyes pierced directly through her sapphire eyes and seemingly searched her soul.

"I see..." he muttered. He shifted his attention back to the salmon-haired young man. "Quite an interesting conflict for you ahead, Mr. Dragneel."

He raised an eyebrow. "Conflict?"

"Who, indeed, will steal your gaze...? Even I cannot tell."

Before Natsu could ask anything further, and before Mira could piece together everything presented to her, Rob spoke again, this time, pertaining especially to business. "I assume that because you are here, that you're prepared to assume custody of Ms. Marvell?"

Natsu took a breath in, seemingly steeling his nerves. The way it was phrased wasn't the way he would have liked it phrased, if only because it sounded like he had been the one to abandon the young girl. However, he knew he couldn't comment on it, so he simply agreed. Besides, he knew phrasing wouldn't matter - the implications were the same no matter what.

"Wonderful. If you'd please, follow me. You and I... we have some business we must discuss, first." Rob glanced ominously toward a staircase behind him, as if making sure someone wasn't there. As Rob led Natsu back toward his office, he stopped Mira. "I apologize, but this is something that only can be discussed between legal parties. If you'd like... perhaps you could help Wendy pack?"

Mira kept her suspicions to herself, but agreed cheerily. "Of course; where can I find her?"

"She'll be up the stairs and down the left hallway. Her room is the only one left open. If you can't find her, she'll likely find you, she has quite remarkable hearing, and she'll notice the absence of a cane."

The young woman nodded merrily and gave Natsu a confident smile, betraying her innermost thoughts. "Try not to forget everything while I'm gone, okay?"

Natsu turned red and folded his arms over his chest in a semi-pouting sort of way. He muttered something along the lines of, "I don't forget things all the time..." but the snow-haired woman let it slide without comment. She gave Natsu a small wave before she began to scale the grand wooden staircase, all the while, she felt Rob's eyes on her back, watching her every move until she was out of sight on the second floor. She turned left to go down the hall, but as she turned the corner, she frowned and glanced back down the staircase.

Rob and Natsu were both gone, presumably the older man having already taken Natsu to his office.

"Why would he need to speak to Natsu alone...? Anything he needed to say involving personal ideas could've been said over the phone..."

Something didn't add up to Mira. She could tell by the way he'd spoken earlier that the conversation that her friend and the old care taker were having had little... if anything to do with Wendy. Anything that Rob needed to tell Natsu about the girl he was assuming care for could've been done at any time, and likely would have involved a different reason for refusing Mira's presence.

She continued to frown, but relented her staring, and turned to find a small girl peering up at her curiously.

If she'd been a scatterbrain, she might have screamed or yelped at the very least... but instead, after years of having been scared by accident, she was used to the sudden appearance of children around her.

"H-hi... what are you doing?"

The girl's voice was soft, as if it was carried by the wind. To be honest, it perfectly matched the external appearance of the young girl in front of her. She was small, appropriately so for her age. It was clear she wasn't an anomaly when it came to puberty, as her chest was still relatively flat, causing Mira to worry slightly less about Natsu inheriting a pubescent pre-teen. Her hair was long, ending around her mid-back, but shone a brilliant deep blue under the light, with two sets of bangs framing her cute, petite face. She wore a green dress with scale-like patterns on it, ending just below her knees. She was slim, but still had some baby fat to her body, further enhancing her cuteness to the snow-haired college student.

Containing herself was not easy, and Mira thought she deserved an award for not smothering the child in hugs immediately. "Oh, hello there. I was just making sure my friend didn't... get lost."

"Oh. Who are you?"

Mira smiled at her childlike innocence. "My name is Mirajane Strauss, but you can call me Mira. Are you Wendy?"

Whilst Mira knew full well that this _had_ to be Wendy, she figured it wasn't a bad idea to get the girl to talk some, if not to learn something about her, than just to get her to warm up to someone. It wasn't exactly a short car-ride home, and Mira had no doubts that she'd likely become overwhelmed with everything sooner or later.

To no one's surprise, the girl nodded in affirmation. Her bangs bobbed along with her head, and Mira had the strongest desire to style her hair, but stored the thoughts away for a later time and date. She would be damned if Natsu kept her away for longer than a few days. He might be assuming care, but Mira refused to let this adorable girl never see her again!

"So Mr. Rob told me that you might need help packing?"

Wendy put her fingers together in a sense of nervousness. "W-well, I actually finished a bit ago. I, um, I watched you come in... with the pink-haired man."

That would explain it. Mira would've guessed it had she known anything about Wendy, but she figured from the beginning that the young girl was probably beyond excited (and nervous) to be finally going home with a family that she would've been packed the day she found out about the news. Likely, she was waiting by any window for the moment that she and Natsu would arrive, and following any movements she could see. She was going to be living with the guy, after all, it only made sense to learn about him by any means necessary.

"Yeah, that was Natsu. I wouldn't mention his hair color." Mira leaned in. "He gets self-conscious about it."

Wendy blinked in surprise and Mira had to hold the sinister smirk that was building within. Natsu might get to see her more, but she was determined to instill at least a few personal jokes between her and Wendy before he was back. Besides, she knew Natsu actually _was_ self-conscious about his hair, and whilst he didn't care how it looked persay, he did care when someone insulted it... and as far as his brain went, pink was among the list of insults.

"Oh, got it!"

Mira giggled at Wendy's determination. She could tell the little blunette was dedicated at fitting in with Natsu- if only she knew how easy it would end up being.

"So, do you mind giving me a tour?" Mira asked kindly, hoping to at least move from the hallway. She secretly wanted to see more of the house, and she knew a small distraction would do wonders for Wendy's ailing nerves. The young girl's eyes brightened at the idea, and her shy edge seemed to vanish at the prospect of doing something she was overly familiar with.

She quickly agreed and hastily pulled Mira along, who eagerly followed with the same haste. They peeked into Wendy's room, and Mira blinked at the size. While it wasn't very large, there was a dresser, along with a nightstand, bed, and lamp that took up a large amount of space, making the room seem much smaller than it really was. However, above her bed was a large window that overlooked the forest that they'd driven through earlier.

"Wow... that's gorgeous," Mira marveled.

Wendy agreed with a quiet 'mhm'. Even recognizing that Wendy likely saw that view everyday, Mira couldn't help but wish her small apartment had a view similar to that. Instead, she just got a view of the building across from her, and a road that desperately needed to be paved.

"Y-you know... sometimes, I wonder what it's like to fly. Rob used to read us stories, like _Peter Pan_ , and how he'd fly into the kids rooms at night. Since then... I've always wondered what it was like to fly."

Mira didn't respond, but instead, studied the girl in front of her. Even with the shyness and timid outer shell, Mira could see the curiosity that bubbled within her walls, as well as the sense of adventure that reminded her strongly of Natsu's. She knew that they weren't actually father and daughter, but Mira saw so many similarities in Wendy from when Natsu was a kid, so many in fact, that she was having a tough time remembering she herself was no longer a kid.

"Sorry... that was probably weird." Mira blinked, realizing her silence had likely come across in a different way.

She quickly backpedaled and tried to reassure the bluenette that her silence was a bad silence. "You remind me so much of Natsu when he was a kid, that's all. He used to talk about riding on the tops of stars and tasting the sun... we always called him a hothead, but we never really understood how dedicated he was to that stuff. You two are one in the same."

Wendy blushed, and looked at Mira with an uncertain expression. "D-do you think Natsu will like having me around? I don't want to burden him."

"Of course he'll like having you! Natsu is a bit brash... and he can be something of an idiot..." Wendy giggled. "But he's kind. And he's got a big heart. I know it's a change for you... it's a huge one. And it's big for him, too. You're both equally nervous... and that makes a lot of sense... but don't tell him I told you this... but he knows _exactly_ what you're going through."

Wendy froze up and locked her chocolate brown eyes with Mira's sapphire eyes. "You mean...?"

"That's right. Natsu was adopted, too."

Inside her eyes, a mix of emotions welled up, but among them, Mira could identify... relief? It made sense, after all. Having her own caretaker know what it was like to be in a new home was probably a welcomed relief, especially since she'd never met him before.

"He doesn't talk about it much, and I shouldn't tell you anymore, but maybe he'll tell you more one day," Mira commented. She could see a tinge of disappointment, as she was probably hoping to learn a bit more, but ultimately, it was for the best. Natsu was a very closed book when it came to his history, and revealing too much of it was a sure-fire way to get him all fired up, especially without his permission. "In the meantime, shall we move on?"

Wendy nodded and hopped off the bed she'd been standing on to see out the window. She gracefully landed and led Mira back down the hall, down the stairs and into the kitchen. It was a large, but very basic looking kitchen, with an over in the wall, and an island that contained the stove-top. The fridge, double-doored and humongous, was the only new appliance in an otherwise aged kitchen. Overall, it was quaint, but unremarkable, and needless to say, Mira didn't spend much time there. Instead, they made their way through a study, where large book shelves covered the walls, but were emptied, likely a result of the pending move-out. Mira wondered about how many books were typically on the shelves, and what kinds they were. As if sensing her curiosity, Wendy began to speak.

"I-I used to spend a lot of my time here... when I first moved in, that is." Mira turned to face the reminiscing pre-teen. "Books were the only escape I had from everything... and my mother used to have a huge library that she let me use whenever she was away."

"She sounds very educated," Mira said kindly. Wendy nodded as she delicately ran her fingers along the wooden bookshelves, sighing softly as she did so. For a split second, she looked much older than 11, her face aging and her eyes growing weary. But as soon as it had come, it faded as well, as her eyes found the light that sparkled within, and she regained the innocence that dotted her personality.

Wendy relinquished her touch on the bookshelf and gestured to a nearby door that led to the outside. Mira followed along, politely holding the door open for Wendy once she opened it. The breeze struck the duo as they went outside, the sun greeting them eagerly, forcing them to shield their eyes until they adjusted.

"This is the garden... or it was, I guess. We haven't had much tending to it, so a lot of the plants ended up dying..."

Mira looked over the once-proud garden, trying her best to ignore the brown, decaying plants that had withered and wilted away. In an attempt to be positive, Mira commented, "well, I'm sure it looked nice at some point?"

"It was! It smelled great out here, too!" Wendy said happily. She then wilted slightly, much like the plants in front of her. "But, they didn't have anyone to look after them. I'm not so good at tending to nature so..."

"It's okay, not everyone is good at everything you know. Being a gardner is tough," Mira said. _'Lisanna was always the nature-saavy one in the family, after all._ '

"Lisanna?"

Mira froze. She hadn't realized she'd spoken out loud.

"Is Lisanna your sister?"

"S-she, uh, yeah." She wouldn't cry. She _wouldn't_ cry. "But sh-"

"HEY!"

Divine intervention, it seemed, struck perfectly on the dot, saving Mira from having to explain anything further. From the doorway, a spiky mass of salmon-colored hair drew the two girl's attention, following the loud greeting. Despite the situation, Mira smiled gratefully as she rested her eyes on Natsu, thanking his timely appearance. Her smile wavered slightly as she saw his own smile- it was forced, and his eyes held back the mirth that his smile held.

He was worried about something.

Still, he seemed to be playing the fool about whatever what on his mind, so Mira mentally decided to oblige his facade... for now. Once she got him alone, she'd interrogate him until she got the answers she needed... even if he decided to get upset. The last thing she needed him to learn was how to keep a secret from her, since he'd never been good at that.

"C'mon Wendy." Making sure to inject as much cheer as believably possible into her voice, Mira turned to Wendy with a sincere smile, despite the worries on her mind. "Let's go introduce you to Natsu."

* * *

 _And cut. I'm not terribly happy with how this chapter came out... it felt a little flat to me, but I'm also running on low time thanks to my job and classes. Either way, hopefully you enjoy!_


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